The Storm
by Funkas
Summary: An earthquake struck in the middle of a storm, and Ben's home all alone! Rated M for harsh content
1. Herdy

The storm was louder than ever, and Ben could feel the wind and the rain on his face, but things had stopped shaking. He waited just to make sure nothing else would rattle and thud down before opening his eyes and crawling out from below his computer desk. All of his favorite books and action figures had fallen off their shelves, and the window had broken into shiny pieces all over his bed and red voltorb rug.

"Mom!" He cried out, then remembered she wasn't home yet. The rain was pouring in through the window, making his bed all wet, and the wind outside was rushing and making his curtains thrash around. His room was ruined, completely, and he started to cry, but then he heard Herdy yipping downstairs. Ben decided to go make sure he was alright.

He went over to his door, yelling "ow!" when he accidentally stepped on some glass, but the storm was scaring him so he kept going. He closed his door when he was out in the hallway, noticing how dark it was with all the lights off, then bent over and felt his foot to make sure it wasn't bleeding. It was, but Mom wasn't home and Herdy was still yipping downstairs. At least there wasn't any glass sticking in it.

The pictures had fallen off the walls from all the shaking, and the carpet was wet from the broken flower vase. Ben didn't know what to do about his foot, but he made sure he only walked on his toes as he went slowly down the staircase so it didn't get hurt more. There were spots of red where he stepped, and he hoped Dad wouldn't be mad at him.

Everything had fallen over downstairs. All the kitchen knives and jars had fallen and broken on the tiled floor, the little TV was on its side and had a spinarakweb crack in it, and the tree outside was smashing against the window. Everything was dark from the storm, and the only lights were the sparks dripping from the living room ceiling onto the furniture.

"Mom!" Ben called out again, causing Herdy to yip louder. It sounded like he was stuck in Dad's office. Ben held back the tears and made his way all the way down the stairs, one by one, watching the branch smack against the window outside.

Ben held one of his little hands against the hallway wall to keep the weight off his foot, looking at the pictures that had fallen down. He had drawn a picture of his school and some wingulls, he had spent all day on it and Mom had told him what a good job he'd done, but now it was ripped and ruined.

Herdy was still yipping from around the corner, yip yip yip yip, so Ben tried not to think about it. Everything was so dark and broken, and his foot hurt, and he was bleeding, and his room was all messy. Where was Mom? He needed help! He shouldn't cry, though, he had to get to Herdy.

Ben made his way into Dad's office and saw how ruined it was. The fishtank had exploded water and glass and little rocks all over the floor, and the two little corsola were on their backs, and Dad's magikarp was thumping around in the mess. He was going to be so mad when he got home!

Most of his books had fallen off the shelves, and they were all open and crumpled and wet from the fishtank, and his lamp had fallen and broken, and the small office ornaments were on the ground.

Herdy was still yipping, yip yip yip yip yip, and was in the far corner of the room, trapped by the office chair and the big mirror that was all cracked. Ben slowly stepped onto the cold, wet carpet, watching out for glass, and kept a hand on the door. He made his way around Dad's big, heavy desk and kneeled in front of Herdy, who finally stopped yipping and started trying to push through the chair.

"Herdy, wait!" Ben said, moving around the chair and pushing the mirror away. He made sure it didn't fall over, keeping it leaned against the wall. Ben pulled the chair, making a book slide off and land on Herdy's backside, making him yip loudly. "Oh sorry! Sorry Herdy, sorry!" Ben apologized, finally freeing the dog and holding him close. He was fine, though, just shaking from fright at the storm.

Ben tried to comfort him, getting into a sitting position and pulling him onto his lap, telling him shh and that that he was a good boy. Ben's foot wasn't bleeding as badly as he'd thought, though it still hurt a lot. Everything was such a mess, and he wished he was still on the bus or even at school. Where was Mom and Dad?

Suddenly, Herdy started yipping again, toward the doorway to the office that Dad's magikarp was flopping around in. Was it the storm?

"Shh," Ben told Herdy, but herdy only started yipping louder. "Quiet, Herdy, it's just the storm!" Ben said.

Then, Ben noticed that Herdy wasn't looking out into the hallway. He was looking at Dad's magikarp, who was thumping around heavily. Ben watched, suddenly noticing that it was white and all the red color was gone - oh no! Was it dying? No, it was still thumping around energetically, maybe even more so, slapping the broken glass and rocks. It looked like it was bigger, too, somehow slowly getting larger and longer. It started knocking into the cabinet that the fishtank had been on, smashing into it with its tail. What was going on? Was it evolving? Ben didn't know of magikarp evolved or not.

Ben noticed that it was starting to look angry, as weird as it was to say about a fish. Herdy was yipping, louder and louder, and Ben squeezed him tight and told him to be quiet. Maybe it just needed water, but Ben didn't want to get any closer with it smashing around. Every time its tail slammed the ground, it seemed to get bigger, and angrier, and darker, like its scales were turning blue or black.

Ben was nervous. He smelled smoke, and he wondered if something had started burning, and Dad's magikarp was growing. It was blocking off the entire doorway now, and smashing so violently that Dad's desk was starting to scoot and the cabinet was splintering. He held Herdy closer, unsure what to do.

"Mom!" He called out, worried, forgetting that she wasn't home. The magikarp was getting bigger and bigger, tail slamming between the back wall and Dad's desk, causing it to rock, and its face looked more angry than it'd ever been before. Ben's eyes widened in fright, noticing its wide mouth and the long, sharp, scary teeth that were growing, bigger than even the big kitchen knives. Herdy was yipping frantically, scrambling to get out of Ben's grip.

"Mom!" He pushed himself and Herdy further into the corner, away from the magikarp, eyes wide, wondering what was going on. Bright, orange light erupted somewhere down the hallway. Where was she? He was trapped! Herdy was freaking out! The magikarp slammed around, still getting bigger, looking so angry and scary. It slammed into the wall, sending up a big crack and causing the ceiling to sag a little. Ben shrieked. "Mom! Mom!"


	2. Raikou

A crash came from behind him. Glass fell down like plates, shattering across the carpet. One struck his shoulder broad-slide, tipped, and dropped on Herdy, who screamed, yelped, and squirmed free of Ben's grip, his claws digging into Ben's thighs.

"Ouch, Herdy!" Ben shouted.

Herdy went for the corner. The storm roared like never before, wind and rain flooding into the office. The glass plate was in Ben's lap and he pushed it to the carpet. A wood beam groaned as the magikarp smashed the wall again, and the next second, Ben's hairs stood up - the air tensed, and a sudden snap split through the room.

His head hurt. Everything was still. The magikarp now lay quiet - although, it looked nothing like a magikarp anymore. It was enormous, blue, and its scales as broad as armor plates. It had fainted! Not only had it transformed, but now it needed to go to a PokeCenter! Dad was going to be upset!

The wind roared, and Herdy whimpered in the corner. Ben got to his knees and looked at the window, only to find an enormous yellow tiger there, as big as the family car.

"Child," said the tiger. Its mouth never moved, but somehow, its deep voice filled Ben's head. "You are one of the Chosen. You must come with me."

Ben had never heard a Pokemon speak before.

"You're a Pokemon?" he said, squinting at it.

The tiger nearly filled the whole window. It had a black helmet, gray whiskers, long fangs, and deep, red eyes.

"Yes. I am Raikou, one of the three Legendary Beasts. Your destiny awaits. Collect your things, then climb upon my back."

"I hurt my foot," said Ben.

"Ignore the pain," it said. "You must not let it master you. Collect your things and return. Quickly."

Ben stood, heart beating. His backpack was in the family room - but the magikarp was in the way. No sooner had he thought it, however, than the wall sagged, tipping the desk - and off slid the tank, pokeball stand, and pictures, which all piled atop the magikarp's body.

The pokeball came into contact with the magikarp's armor and popped open. The magikarp glowed bright red. Its entire length turned to particles and absorbed into the ball's tiny interior, creating a sucking void that pulled at the air in the room. Then the pokeball snapped shut, the tank and pictures crunched to the floor, and the hallway was clear. However, the damage was done - a deep, booming crack came from the wall, and the ceiling dropped another five feet.

Then it caught, glowing blue.

"Go," said Raikou.

Ben turned around - the tiger's eyes were glowing the same color.

"I will hold it. Be quick."

Ben did as he was told, making his way around the cluttered office and limping into the hall. It wasn't just the ceiling, he realized - the walls were glowing, and the tables. Raikou was holding their house together!

Fire crawled up the entryway to the kitchen. Ben avoided it and went into the family room. Everything was a mess. It was devastating. He saw his backpack on the couch and picked it up, then got his shoes from the doorway. He didn't have socks, but they were all the way up in his room and Raikou had told him to hurry. He squeezed his feet in, ignoring his hurt spot. There would be time later.

He knew he should grab supplies. Dad had taught him how to gather things for when they went camping. But he couldn't go in the kitchen! He went in the bathroom instead. He got toilet paper and a bottle of alcohol, those were supplies. He got his toothbrush and toothpaste and hurried back to the office.

Herdy was whimpering.

"I need to bring Herdy," said Ben.

"No," said Raikou. "Its injuries are too great. It must be left behind."

"Don't we need to take him to a Pokemon Center?"

"No."

For the first time, Ben thought he heard anger.

"Human hospitals have done enough damage. Its mind has already been dulled by its enslavement. If you truly wish to help, there is only one thing that can be done. Do you want to stop its suffering?"

Herdy whimpered.

"Of course!" said Ben.

"Then approach it. I will instruct you."

Ben did as he was told. Herdy's leg was bleeding from the glass.

"Hold it."

He did so, Herdy's body warm and wet and shaking.

"Place your hands about its collar. It might struggle."

Ben did as he was told. He could feel Herdy breathing.

"Squeeze."

He'd never been told to squeeze Herdy before.

"Why?"

"You will help it rest. It will struggle, but you must be strong. This is your first test as one of the Chosen."

Heart heaving, Ben squeezed Herdy. Herdy yelped and struggled and Ben had to fall atop him.

"I'm sorry, Herdy!" he said. "I'm sorry!"

"Squeeze harder."

Herdy made awful sounds, his paws scrambling and scratching Ben's stomach.

"I feel like I'm hurting him!"

"You are not. This is the only way."

Trusting in Raikou, Ben squeezed harder. Herdy shrieked and shrieked. Tears welled up in Ben's eyes. He knew he was hurting him.

"I'm sorry, Herdy," he said. "I'm so sorry."

Herdy's movements slowed. His eyes relaxed, then his legs went limp. He stopped moving.

"Well done, child," said Raikou. "You were successful."

Ben clambered off of Herdy. He looked like he was asleep, but Ben knew something awful had happened. His hands were shaking like crazy.

"Why did I have to do that?"

"It was the only way. In time, you will understand it as kindness. Now, come."

Head spinning, Ben left Herdy and turned around. He saw one of the picture frames from the desk, which had slipped free of its frame: Mom and Dad, on a sunny day, holding the magikarp and smiling. Ben picked it up and put it in his backpack, then did the same with the magikarp's pokeball.

"Come," said Raikou. "Your destiny awaits."

Ben went to the Legendary Beast. This close, Ben could feel his power.

"My destiny?" said Ben.

"All we be explained. Now, grab my fur, and climb upon my back."

"What about Mom and Dad?"

"All we be explained. Come."

Not knowing what else to do, Ben approached the window. Glass cracked and squeaked under his shoes. The wind blew in his face. The windowsill was clear, and Ben climbed up, using Raikou's fur as grip. He had an enormous brown mane.

"Pull yourself on," said Raikou.

Ben did so. He felt like he was hurting Raikou, but the tiger made no sign of pain. His mane was as strong as rope, and after another moment of struggle, Ben got a leg over his muscular back and clutched his cold hair, holding himself tight. Raikou didn't smell stinky at all. He smelled like a forest, and a little bit like a new Game Boy.

Raikou moved out into their front yard, which was a mess of trash and fallen tree branches. Raikou was enormous, and Ben could feel every movement of muscle. Behind them, there was a loud squeaking - then booming, and it felt like everything in the world was crashing down. There was a _woomf_ of air, and Ben looked back and saw their house had collapsed. Their entire house was now just a pile of junk. His heart throbbed.

"Worry not, child. Hold yourself close."

Ben did as he was told, pressing his face into Raikou's mane. He cried, feeling scared. Then, Raikou started to run - his movements were fluid, and with a lurch, Raikou lept into the air, and Ben saw his mess of a neighborhood shooting by below him. Wind streamed over Raikou, and Ben held himself close again.

"What am I chosen for?" he found himself asking.

He wasn't sure if Raikou heard. But then the answer came.

"You are going to save the world."


End file.
